Toyota Avalon Best and Worst Years (2010–2022)
Toyota Avalon years to avoid are 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2019, based on NHTSA complaint indexes of 92, 100, 83, and 75. The 2013 model year has the most complaints (137) and the highest complaint index (100). Best years are 2020, 2021, and 2022, with complaint indexes of 8, 17, and 0.
Avoid 2011Avoid 2013Avoid 2014Avoid 2019Best 2020Best 2021Best 2022
- Model years
- 13
- 2010–2022
- NHTSA complaints
- 624
- Recall campaigns
- 23
- Crashes reported
- 73
- Fires reported
- 4
- Top problem area
- Engine
Avalon Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Toyota Avalon problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Caution | 58 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 6 | Engine | 23 | — |
| 2011 | Avoid | 92 | 106 | 14 | 0 | 1 | Steering | 23 | — |
| 2012 | Caution | 50 | 30 | 8 | 1 | 4 | Structure & Body | 22 | — |
| 2013 | Avoid | 100 | 137 | 14 | 1 | 4 | Visibility & Wipers | 24.5 | 5★ |
| 2014 | Avoid | 83 | 96 | 7 | 1 | 4 | Collision Avoidance & Cameras | 24.5 | 5★ |
| 2015 | Good | 33 | 41 | 7 | 0 | 2 | Brakes | 24 | 5★ |
| 2016 | Good | 25 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Engine | 24 | 5★ |
| 2017 | Caution | 67 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Engine | 24 | 5★ |
| 2018 | Good | 42 | 24 | 7 | 0 | 2 | Airbags | 24 | 5★ |
| 2019 | Avoid | 75 | 70 | 4 | 0 | 4 | Fuel System | 25.5 | 5★ |
| 2020 | Best | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Fuel System | 25.5 | 5★ |
| 2021 | Best | 17 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Airbags | 25.5 | 5★ |
| 2022 | Best | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 25.5 | 5★ |
Avalon years to avoid: what went wrong
2013 Toyota Avalon Index 100 · 137 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2013 Avalon has the highest complaint index of any year at 100, with 137 total complaints, the most of any Avalon model year. Visibility & Wipers issues top the list at 29 complaints (21%), median mileage 7,000. Engine complaints follow at 27 (20%), median mileage 27,739.5. Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration events and airbags failing to deploy in crashes. NHTSA lists four recalls for this year, including an airbag control unit noise-filter fix, a pre-collision system component replacement, and an A/C condenser drain hose fix.
2013 visibility & wipers problems →2013 engine problems →2013 structure & body problems →
2011 Toyota Avalon Index 92 · 106 complaints · 1 recalls
The 2011 Avalon carries a complaint index of 92, the second-worst of any model year, from 106 complaints. Steering issues lead the complaints at 31, or 29% of the total, with a median mileage at failure of 40,000. Electrical System problems follow at 27 complaints (25%), median mileage 38,800. Owners report sudden unintended acceleration and loss of steering control, in some cases leading to crashes. NHTSA lists one recall tied to this year, covering an audio system amplifier and sub-woofer speaker location issue.
2011 steering problems →2011 electrical system problems →2011 engine problems →
2014 Toyota Avalon Index 83 · 96 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2014 Avalon has a complaint index of 83 from 96 complaints. Collision Avoidance & Cameras issues top the list at 18 complaints (19%), median mileage 7,000, followed by Structure & Body at 16 complaints (17%), median mileage 8,937. Owners report unintended acceleration events, airbags failing to deploy during rear-end crashes, and a center console overheating with a burning odor. NHTSA lists four recalls for this year, including a suspension lower-arm replacement and the same airbag ECU and pre-collision system fixes as the 2013.
2014 collision avoidance & cameras problems →2014 structure & body problems →
2019 Toyota Avalon Index 75 · 70 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2019 Avalon has a complaint index of 75 from 70 complaints. Fuel System problems dominate at 21 complaints (30%), median mileage 6,240, followed closely by Electrical System issues at 20 complaints (29%), median mileage 4,060. Owners describe vehicles stalling then surging forward, sometimes during recall repair delays for a fuel pump replacement. NHTSA lists four recalls for this year, including two separate fuel pump assembly replacement campaigns and a load-carrying-capacity label correction.
2019 fuel system problems →2019 electrical system problems →
Most common Toyota Avalon problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group. A complaint naming two components counts once in each.
- Engine109 (17%)
- Electrical System98 (16%)
- Other97 (16%)
- Structure & Body75 (12%)
- Visibility & Wipers70 (11%)
- Airbags65 (10%)
- Brakes61 (10%)
- Steering55 (9%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras53 (8%)
- Fuel System46 (7%)
Frequently asked questions
- What year Toyota Avalon should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2019 Toyota Avalon model years are the ones to avoid relative to other Avalon years, with complaint indexes of 92, 100, 83, and 75 respectively.
- What is the best year for the Toyota Avalon?
- The 2020, 2021, and 2022 Toyota Avalon model years rank best, with complaint indexes of 8, 17, and 0 and the fewest total complaints among all 13 model years covered.
- Is the 2013 Toyota Avalon reliable?
- The 2013 Avalon has the highest complaint index (100) and the most complaints (137) of any Avalon model year in NHTSA data, with Visibility & Wipers and Engine issues topping the list, making it the year with the most reported problems relative to other Avalon years.
- Does the 2019 Toyota Avalon have a fuel system recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists two separate recall campaigns for the 2019 Avalon fuel pump assembly, plus complaints describing stalling and surging tied to delayed recall parts availability.
- How many total complaints does the Toyota Avalon have?
- Across model years 2010-2022, NHTSA lists 624 total complaints and 23 recall campaigns for the Toyota Avalon.